Satyabrata Sahoo & Ors vs State Of Orissa & Ors

The Supreme Court held that Clause 11.2 of the Prospectus for Post-Graduate Medical Selection 2012 in Odisha, which provides additional weightage to in-service candidates from Rural/Tribal/Backward areas, violates Article 14 of the Constitution of India by creating an arbitrary differentiation among direct candidates. The Court emphasized that admissions should be based solely on merit without artificial distinctions, thereby quashing the clause and reaffirming the principle of equality in educational opportunities. The appeals were allowed, overturning the decisions of the Orissa High Court.